1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to support brackets, and more particularly to a bracket for use on hospital beds for supporting orthopedic traction weights.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Generally, when a patient requires orthopedic correction of a nature in which it is necessary to place certain parts of the body in traction, it is required that tensioning devices be used. The conventional method for applying traction is to attach to the patients bed frame a tensioning frame which carries a set of pulleys and cables. Traction weights are attached to the end of the cables.
For various reasons, it is often necessary to relieve the tension which requires that the weights be lifted and supported by some means. Some hospital proceedures call for periodically applying tension and then relieving the tension for a period of time. It is also necessary to support the weights in some manner in the event that it is desired to raise or lower the patients bed or the patients position on the bed.
A conventional method consists of a hospital attendant entering the patients room at the appropriate time and moving a chair or other piece of furniture which may be handy near the patients bed and physically lifting the weights onto the chair or other piece of furniture. This not only involves considerable work by hospital personnel, but takes up considerable floor space and presents a safety hazard in a crowded hospital or sick room, particularly in the case of nurses and attendants who must be continually moving around the patients bed.
There are several patients which disclose various brackets, holders, and traction frames.
Heine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,175 discloses a slipper holder which is designed to be received on the side rail of a hospital bed. The holder includes a body having a single upper hook portion engageable with the upper rail and a V-shaped depending portion which is engageable with the lower rail. The patient's slippers are supported on a pair of side-by-side upwardly extending finger portions formed on the body of the holder. The hook and upwardly extending finger construction of the holder would not be suitable for receiving and supporting conventional traction weights.
Mayer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,425,629 discloses a luggage carrier comprising a curved hook element adapted to engage over the window sill of a vehicle, a vertical depending portion having a cross element affixed to the bottom thereof for bearing against the side of a vehicle, an element extending outwardly obliquely upward therefrom, and a U-shaped element connecting the oblique element with the depending portion. The carriers are used in pairs for supporting articles on the side of a vehicle. The curved hook and U-shaped elements of the carrier would not be suitable for receiving and supporting conventional traction weights.
Christie, U.S. Pat. No. 1,906,369 discloses a tubular support adapted to be attached to a hospital bed and support a liquid container above a bed patient. The support has an adjustable stand which may be adjusted to vary the height of the container above the bed. The support construction of this patent could not be used for supporting conventional traction weights.
Kitchin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,832,377 discloses an adjustable traction frame for supporting a plurality of weight and pulley traction devices. The frame is attached to the bedstead and used for adjusting all of the traction devices simultaneously in accordance with the position of the patient or the height of the bed.
Kinnear, U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,175 discloses a surgical traction frame suspended on a hospital bed frame which includes an elongated roller over which a traction cord travels. The roller permits the traction cord to slide laterally when the patient shifts his position to maintain the traction weight in proper alignment with the patient's leg.
The frames of Kitchin and Kinnear replace the conventional pulley arrangement used in traction proceedures, and the bracket in accordance with the present invention may be used in cooperation with them.
The prior art in general, and these patents in particular do not disclose individually or in combination the present bracket for use on hospital beds for supporting orthopedic traction weights comprising a pair of parallel laterally spaced hook elements adapted to removably engage the foot board of the bed and a horizontal element secured to the lower ends thereof and which has outwardly extendingopposed ends each of which is provided with an arcuate weight receiving notch to receive the hook portion of an orthopedic traction weight and support the traction weights thereon.